Method and apparatus for sealing containers



s. BERGSTEIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 22, 1946 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Jaw/4 .Bzs asrsmr.

ATTORNEY5.

Aug. 15, 1950 s. BERGSTEIN 2,519,102 Yr I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 22, 1946 v e Sheets-Sheet 2 6444051. .BEfGSTf/IV.

/ alla ATTORNEYS- Aug. 15, 1950 I s. BERGSTEIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR smumcounmms 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 22, 1946 ATTORN 5Y5.

Aug. 15, 1950 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 22, 1946 n Ff 1 a @mw Mg; H 1?? $4440.52 Zfram A'rro RN EYs.

-S.BERGSTEIN 2,519,102

s Sheets-Sheet 4 I S. BERGSTEIN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 22, 1946 Aug. 15, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I N VEN TOR. 6444052 .ZE/fG-STE/M BY I Qlhw v ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 METHOD AND ArrAaA'rUs FOB, SEALING oou rnmsns Samuel Bergstein, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to stein, as trustees RobertfMorris Bergstein and Frankllavid Berg- Application November 22, 1946, selenium- 7 1 1,625

17' Claims.

In my copencling application Serial No. 459,948 filed September 28, 1942, now'Patent No. 2,412,862, andentitled MeansandMethod for Hermetic Bag and-Tube Qlosure, I have described one mode of effecting a sealed. closure in flexiblewalled containers by flattening the mouths thereof, clampingthe containers, opening upthe mouthsbeyond the line of clamping, and injecting a sealingsubstance into the ,opened mouths. This invention relatesto injection sealing, and has for its prinoipal object the provision of improvements in methods and apparatus for injection sealing.

Qne ,gbject ct -the invention is the provision eans and-a method for securing proper dis- I ion in thepin itial depositing of the injected sealing substance.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provi-' sion of means and a method for securing improved ultimate is ibu i n o the i c d li -r stance by manipulation.

fifillemther-ehieet of the y-inventioh is e vision of means and a method for closing during sealing all passage-ways from theinterior of the V nerto theouter atmosphere, which would mally eg is n tubular containers-as commerrmeha ee "Edw it e use of t iouslysuggested modesof injection sealing. r objectsof theinvention include the provisio -of-;improved mechanis ns'fpr carrying on all 9f theavarious steps'involved in the sealing of ee he i a 1 ereinabove briefly described.

e and t er.objects ofthe invention which e set ior thbelow in these specifications, or :heapparenttoorie skilled in the art upon reading them, I accomplishby those procedures steps of a ulati i cted .s ehh substan F r 12 i a P33 12 fi ti yie e 3 sealed-liner mouth. e

Figure 13 is a partial plan vieyv pfa container forsealing. substance and various operatingand adjustment elements associated therewith.

Figure -1 4 is a partial vertical section showing in particular the nozzle pump and associated parts. i a Figures 15 and 16 arerespectively a sectional view and an end-elevation of a plunger "for the pu p- Figure 17 is a partial perspective viewpf a heatingelement for the nozzle head, and mountingmeans forthe heating element.

Figure 18 is a partial plan view .showing a cam shaft and operating partsassociated-with it. Figure '19 is a horizontal section through a liner element showing a passage Way or channel normally existing in these elements in spite of the. usual sealing operations.

Figure 20 is a partial plan view of elements employed by mete permit closure of the channel aforesaid.

Figure 21 is adiagrammatic planview illuse trating an alternative mode of motionof roller elementsirr manipulating an injected sealingsub: stance.

Figure 22 is a partial plan viewsho wing another arrangement and mode of actuating manip ulating rollers.

:Figure -23 is a partial perspective-view illustrative of elements coacting tp a ctuate a switch in the event a container is not present in a container hold-ing cage.

In Figure 1, I haveshown amachine having legs or supports l and 2 upon-which mounted a mainframe :3. The container elements to be operated upon are carried through the machine in cages whichmove continuously in an elongated path. vAt each end .of the machine *1 journal vertical shafts-4 and-5 in brackets 16 and r1. --The 3 upper ends of these shafts carry sprockets, around which pass an endless chain 8.

Various carriage elements 9 are fastened to the chain 8 and are moved by it. Side guide elements H! are provided for the carriage along the sides of the machine; and at the ends of the machine where the carriages follow an arcuate path, they'rest upon disc-like elements II and I2 fastened to the shafts ll and 5. Each carriage element 9 has pivoted to it an upper carriage element 13, which is provided with a gear M. The upper carriage elements bear cages for the containers to be operated upon. Rack elements I5, which may be mounted on the frame of the machine, may be employed to engage the gears l4 and by rotating them (usually through 90), cause the containers to be presented to operating elements in various orientations from time to time. The; machine has a central upstanding bridge l5 upon which various elements for operating upon the containers are mounted. The machine asthus far described is similar to the machine of Patent No. 2,277,289, to which reference may be made for further details of construction, and for details of the elements for such operations as the-closing and securing of carton flaps of a sealed liner end. In this case, I shall describe in connection with a machine of this character those elements which perform the sealing functions to which this invention is addressed; it being understood that other elements for other operations may be included in the machine.

'I shall further describe my invention as applied to the exemplary problem of sealing the open ends of tubular liners, which liners are located in paperboard cartons. It will be understood, however, that the principles of the invention may be applied to the sealing of other structures, and in particular the mouths of bags, which may be or may not be included in outer boxes or cartons. I have herein illustrated cages for lined cartons in a'simple fashion as comprising an upright I! and arms l8 and 19 for engaging the cartons. The nature and construction of holding the means for the carton or other structures to be operated upon may be widely varied, and do not form a limitation upon the invention. For some specific constructions of cages, reference may be made to the copending application of myself and Louis J. V an Guelpen, Serial No. 450,704, filed July 13, 1942 and entitled Improved Packaging Method and 'Meansfnow Patent 2,443,293, issued June 15, 1948. It may be further pointed out that while I have shown herein elements for effectinga seal at one end of a container, the containers may be up-ended and passed again through the illustrated mechanism for effecting a seal at theother end, or the apparatus elements herein illustrated may be duplicated for the sealing of the other end. i In Figure '1, I have shown an electric motor 20 for driving my apparatus. This is connected to a gear reduction or change-speed apparatus 2|, which is connected by a chain drive 22 to a main shaft 23 journaled below the base of the machine. A bevel gear 24 on one end of this shaft meshes with a bevel gear 25 on the vertical shaft 5, and by these means the main chain 8 of the machine is driven, causing the carriages 9 to move through their elongated path as set forth above. Drives for other parts of the machine are also connected to the main shaft 23. A bevel gear 26 on'this shaft meshes with a bevel gear ET'on-a vertical shaft 28 journaled in the ma- 4 chine frame and in the bridge l6 and serving to drive apparatus elements mounted on the bridge.

Certain of these apparatus elements comprise spreader fingers for the liner ends. In a bracket 29, mounted on the bridge, I journal short horizontal shafts 30 and 3!. The latter of these bears a bevel gear 32 meshing with a bevel gear 33 on the horizontal shaft 28. The shaft 3| also bears a sprocket, which is connected by a chain 34 to a sprocket on a cam shaft illustrated in Figure 18 and hereinafter described in detail. The shafts 3B and 3| carry sprockets 35 and 36, around which passes an endless chain 37. Fixtures are mounted at intervals on this chain, the fixtures comprising slotted bodies 38 and slotted spreader fingers 39 and 4! The fixtures and pins engaging in slots in the fingers, and the inner ends of the fingers are pivoted together and provided with a pin which not only engages in the slot in the fixtures 38 but also provides a cam follower riding in a cam track 4i formed in the bracket 29. It will be noted that the lower part of the cam track has a central depression, and the action is such as to depress the spreader fingers and at the same time move their operating ends apart. For a fuller description of this mechanism, reference may be made to my Patent No. 2,277,289, noted above.

It will be understood that, in the particular embodiment shown, containers of the type described are placed in the various cages. The outer cartons forming part of these containers are in squared up or erected condition and are indicated at 42 in the drawings. They are lined cartons; and the projecting ends of tubular liners are indicated at 43. These liners are also squared up because their body portions are adhered to the respective body walls of the cartons, and the tubular liners thus open up when the cartons are erected.

As the cages move along on their carriages, a pair of folding rods, one of which is illustrated at 44, operates to engage and turn outwardly out of the way the then lateral flaps of the cartons; and these rods are continued through all that portion of the machine in which it is desired to hold these flaps out of the way. The moving container next comes beneath that portion of the apparatus involving the spreading fingers as described above. Through the action of the cam track M and the fixtures by which these fingers are mounted, the fingers are first caused to move downwardly so as to enter the 'mouths of the tubular liners. Then traveling with the containers, these fingers spread apart as they descend, flattening the projecting liner mouths and juxtaposing the walls thereof. This flattened condition of the liner months is illustrated in a number of the figures of this application.

A result of the flattening operation just described will be to bend the fore and aft fiaps of the carton outwardly so that these may be engaged by folding elements, one of which is illustrated in Figure 1 at 45, andwhich operate to fold and hold the fore and aft flaps in a substantially horizontal plane.

It is desired to clamp or hold together the juxtaposed Walls of the end of the tubular liner along a line spaced downwardly from the actual mouth of the liner. While other elements may be employed for this purpose, I find it possible to use the same folding rods for this purpose that I have used for folding and holding the fore and aft flaps. A preferred arrangement is illustrated in Figure 7 where the rod 45 is shown as lying on :iih'e side dffith'e diner end, while spaced rods :46 audit! :1ie:onr:the=1other. The disposition of Lthese rodszis suchithatzthezliner-end-43 is displaced by rodsas sshown. ;Hence, the juxtaposed walls of the liner are held so securely together thatrthmmouth 30f the:.liner may be "opened up alloveztheline of molding or clamping pressure andrrmaterial injected into the month without encounteringt-he danger of having thisxmaterial pass tthe line :of holding .pressure and :enter the actual :hody ofithefliner.

Next. in zmy :apparatus, .1 provide ;means for pening-aupthe:mouthpf {the .liner :abovethe line tofiholdin pressure soj thatza sealing. materialymay be injected into it. Thismeans preferably "comprises wvacuum elements which. engaging the juxtaposed i-walls eQf :the liner month, 'then move apart so .as to spread athesewwalls to permit the entry .ofean:iniectionrnozzle. This is shown most elearlyiiniliigure 6 :wh-eretheliner mouth 43:15 I

shown-as engaged and: spread by vacuum elements A8 :and 49, while .a'; nozzlefiflgmoving' in the direc- .tion. 10f the :dotted rarrow .is shown as :about to enter .the liner :month. ?During the action cof spreadingtheiiner mouth, the vacuum elements i t8, andfi-mustmovezalong with :the liner. .After the nozzle has "entered the liner mouth, the

spreading ,actionzis-no'longer necessary and may hesdiscontinued. :It-will be -.understood that the .vaQu-umelementsqta andais, whichmay be tubular elements zoft-soft ;rubber,-wi11 release the walls of the liner'mouth as esoonraszthey have been dis- ;eonnected.=:fromrthewacuum :tank .or pump and connectedto .the openair. .The; mechanism for actuatin thevacuum elements willbe-bestapon them. Thesezhorseshoezelementsgare formed in fl aframe :by means at interconnecting rods 63-and 54, the frameebeing bodily slidable in the direction .of movement inf the containers, {and reversely.

Thevacuum elements-48 and-:49, heretofore described are mounted in tubular holders 65 and 6B. These in turn areg-mountedupon ;plates '61 and 68. Theseiplatesare arcuate incross section, and the ends of them are engaged insarcua'teslots in the horseshoe members 'tl and62. none of these slots indicated -:-at69. The holders .65 and.66,ar.e shown ashavingqconnection with flexible conduits and H, :bymeans of which the vacuum-elements maybe. connected with a valve means, hereinafter described,.and thence to a vacuum tank 1 orpump, not shown.

.It willbe cleanfromfigures and 5 that as the plates 45'! and iiB-slide upwardly in the arcuate slots 59, they willapproach each 0ther,-.- bringing thevacuum elements-against the.v flattened mouth ofva linen-43 in the-position-showrr in dotted lines in the latter figure. .-As the plates thereafter slide eaway .from,.each .other, r they will cause the vacuum fi ements to spread the. walls atthe mouth of theliner asindicatediinfigureso and there- :arter ithey .Inay the SQdllSed itO" .release \the liner mouth.

:For .:moving-sthe':plates,1 Irprovide :armechanism :next toihedescribed. 5AA .rrame'eomprisin -bars i2 and 11 3 :and :a connecting rred i4 ;is :pivoted to the support at 15.. Aforked rmember 1.6;has one of its ends pivotedrand slida ly mounted on :therod :14. iltsiforkedeendrstraddlest the tubular member 65aand:is :pivpted thereto. .The camshaft 52;bears at its -;endia .cam A cam .zfollower :19 .is:mounted:on azslotted'member 19. ,Thershaft ;p.asses:through cllhesfilqt {8.0 in this member, and the member :is metained 51 9.3 acollar :8l. The lower end of the member is pivoted asshown at 182 toends of the bars '12 and 13 projecting beyond their pivot point "155. It will'be understood how the action of the cam 11 will be to:.rock.the.frame comprising bars" and I3 and to ;move the plate '61 through the action of the forked -member 16.

I On the opposite side of the apparatus '1 provide a similar frame consisting-of bars 83'and-84, the lower ends of which are connected :by a rod .85. This rod in turn is connected tothe tubular member-66 by a forked link .86. I provide a cam :81 near the opposite end of the .shaft 52 and again I provide a slotted, vertically movable'member 88 with a cam follower 89 for. moving the-bars 83 and 84. Bccausetheinner end :of the-support 5| is not free, Iprefer to pivot the bars 83::and :84 at their extremeends to brackets 99-and;9| on the support 5|, and to pivot the vertically movable element88 to thebars intermediate their ends asshown-at 92. The cam 81 is similar tothe cam T! but of opposite hand, ,i. e., it has a protuberance where'tthe other cam has a depression. Hence, the movement of the frames formed by thebars and rods I2, 13, 1.4 and 83, 84, :85,"is equal andlopposite. Spring means such as shown at 93 may be employed to hold the cam followers in contact with the cams.

It will be evident in Figure 4 that the "mechanism comprising thejframesfil and 62, together with-the vaeuumdevices @Band 39 andtheirappurtenances, is :movable by sliding on the rods 59 and 60. When this occurs, the members '56 and 86 can likewise slide on the rods 14 and 85. Byv moving these elements'l cancause the vacuum devices to follow or travel with the cartons in.

the machine for a sufficient length of time to permit the vacuum devices to open up the end of the liner beyond the line of clamping pressure and to permit the'nozzle 50 to enter the openend of the liner. I provide means for moving this structure automatically. A bar 94 .(Figure 4) is affixed to the bracket or support 56 and extends .toward the portion of the machine where the liner ends are spread. Intermediate its ends the bar 94 is bent downwardly as at 94a. Referring to Figures 1 and 3, it'will be seen that-av carriage 95 is slidably mounted on the free horizontal end of the bar 94. This carriage is connected with the framework supporting the vacuum members by a push-pull rod 96. This rod will preferably be provided with pivoted joints to prevent binding. The carriage 95 is moved to the left by the fixtures 38 of the spreader --mechanism, or by other elements on the chain 31. Instead of engaging the carriage directly, however, such elements engage the upwardly extending end of a lever 91 pivoted on the bracket and having an opposite end lyingalong the bar 94. When the carriage 95 has been-movedthe desired distance to the left in Figure .1; the horizontal end-of the lever :9! will encounteri,thenpwardly-sloping;por-

'tiori 94d of the bar 94. The lever b moved in a clockwise direction, lowering the upstanding end and bringing it out of contact with the element 38 or other abutment on the chain 31. This will release the carriage, whereupon a spring 98 engaging the carriage at one end and a suitable abutment such as the rod'99 at the other, will return the carriage to'the starting position; 'The carriage construction is detailed in Figure 3. It will be understood that the latch lever 91 will be returned by gravity or by a springto starting position so as to be engaged by the next abutment on the chain 31. r

As hereinabove indicated, when the vacuum devices 48 and 49 open up the linerend, a nozzle for depositing sealing substance swings into it. This nozzle 50, as will hereinafter be more fully described, is pivoted. Its initial position is shown in Figure 6. 'When it first enters the open liner mouth it swings in a clockwise direction until'it comes into a position to deposit sealing substance in the forward end of the liner opening. The direction of this swing is shown by the dotted arrow in Figure 6, and the position of the nozzle at the end of it is illustrated in Figure 9. The movements of the nozzle are coordinated with the movements of the carton and its liner. As soon asthe nozzle has reached the position shown in Figure 9 and has deposited sealing substance at the forward end ofthe liner, it begins a reverse swing in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow in that figure. This, together with the forward movement of the carton, brings the nozzle finally to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 10, where it is depositing the sealing substance I93 at the extreme rear end of the liner mouth. Immediatel thereafter, the nozzle begins a return swing in the first direction as indicated bythe dotted arrow in Figure 10, until it assumes the position shown in dotted lines in that figure. Then the linerend can pass beneath the nozzle. As soon as the carton and its liner have cleared the nozzle, it then is returned to the initial position shown in Figure 6. Suitable means coordinate the flow of the sealing substance through'the nozzle'with the movements of the nozzle, as will be described. p

The specific means for moving the nozzle are shown in Figure 8. The nozzle is pivoted upon a tank'or container Ill! for molten sealing sub- Tstancaand the nozzle bears a gear segment E32 meshing with anothergear segment I l3, also pivoted' on the tank at H34. in extension I25 onthe latter gear segment is connected by a rod N to a slotted member IEJ'I bearing a cam follower I88. The cam shaft 52 hereinabove described passes throughtheslot' in the member Iill. It carries a cam I69, against which the cam follow er Hi3 bears. The member I6? is slidably confined between this cam and a collar I I0 on the shaft. The circular portion of the surface of the cam represents the idle portion of the nozzle cycle; and the remainder of the cam is appropriately shaped to bring about the timed series of nozzle movements which has been detailed above. The'cam'fcllower is kept against the cam surface through the action of a spring III. Referring toFig'ures l3 and 14,- the tankor container ml, which is suitably [mounted on the bridge 56 of the machine, is provided with one or more heating devices H2 to keep the sealing material within the tank molten orr iniectable. At the point'where' the nozzle is mounted, a nipple H3 passes throughv a perforation in a wall of thecontainer. A cylindrical fitting'll l on the tension I 36.

'insideof' the container is threaded onto the nipple, a tight joint with the container wall being obtained by compression between the end of "the cylindrical fitting and a shoulder H5 on the nipple.

The nozzle 53 is formed with a hollow hub I I6 which passes over the outer end of the nippleand is threaded, engaging a threaded collar III, having an inturned end wall which is held against another shoulder II8 on the nipple. Packing may be used at this point if desired. In the manner just described, the nozzle is mounted rotatably on the container with its hollow interior in communication with the hollow interior of the cylindrical fitting H4.

The fitting II4 forms the cylinder of a pump to force molten sealing material from the interior of the container out through the end of the nozzle. The fitting is provided with a perforated end plug IE9, through which a piston rod I20 passes. This piston rod threadably engages a piston IZI, which is detailed in Figures 15 and I6 and which is perforated as shown at I22. A short threaded rod 123 afiixed to the piston carries a sliding valve member I24, which is urged against the piston by a spring I25 engaging an abutment washer E25 held at the end of the rod E23 as by a cotter pin I21. The cylindrical fitng II4 is perfonated as at I28 to permit the .entry of the molten sealing substance, and it will be clear that a stroke of the piston to the left in Figure 14 beyond these perforations will tend to force the molten sealing substance out through the hollow of the nozzle. The piston valve arrangement, which has been described, permits the sealing material to pass through the perforations of the piston upon the return stroke. The piston rod I23 is shown as pivoted to a rod I29 which slides in a tubular lever I30. This lever passes through a perforation in the cover Ilila of the container and is there affixed to a shaft IBE journaled in a bracket I32 on the cover, and bearing upon its opposite end a lever I33 with a cam follower I34 bearing against a cam I35 which is on the calm shaft '52. By these means the pump is operated in timed relation to the movements of the lined cartons.

The fitting II=i also has a hollow upward ex- The lower part of this extension is formed to provide a set for a ball I31. A spring I38 presses the ball against its set, in turn is controlled by a threaded rod I39 which passes through another perforation in the cover IDI of the container and carries a thumb nut or the like I43. Sidewise perforations MI in the upward extension I36 permit the ball to act as a relief valve for the molten sealing substance should: the passage of this substance through the nozzle be impeded.

To apply heat to the nozzle itself, I prefer to provide an electric heater I42 of circular form (see Figure 17), which by means of a bracket I43 aihxed to the container, is held adjacent the hub portion of the nozzle while permitting the nozzle to swing on its pivot. The nozzle is also valved. A. rod I44 acting aS a needle valve at its end passes through the nozzle and leavesthe hub portion thereof through a gland I 45. A lever I46 pivoted at I 4'! on the nozzle hub has a forked end which engages abutments I48 on the end of the rod i44.- A spring I49 engages between the lever and the hub, tending to urge the lever to valve closing position. The valve and its lever rotate with the nozzle; but they may be operated in a y n zzl posi i n bymeans of a Push rod I50 aeregroa slidablyjournaledzin a bracket; IQI andhaving. a;

IOllI'ldBdi head: H52" which engages a. similar rounded headL-IES' on the lever-..

,Figure; 18 showssthe cam shaft 52: and, the various cams thereon. The. cams; hitherto: dc;- scribed; are identifiable; by. their. indexi numerals- The cam follower I13 is=held against the'cam; 235: by aspring; I 54 engaging thel'ever'arm E333 and. abracket I 55 afiixed to; the: container" i BI Therod I50 which. operates" the nozzle valve: is engaged by one end: of; a lever lit: pivoted: as; at I51" on the machinef-rame andicarrying, a; camfollower I518. This follower bearsagainst-a camv I 5'9which is alsoafilxedtothe camshaft 52 and which operates to control the nozzlefiowvalveain. proper timed relationship with the movements; of the machine. The flexible; tube Ill: and: "at fromthe vacuum means are-connected to a conduit LEE-througha valvemeans I-6.-I*. Theplungert thisvalve' means bears against a cam, 6Z3i on the: camshaft 58,. and. in thisway the: vacuum means are caused toiengagee-andirelease thewalls of, the, liners- 43. at proper timed intervals.

The, sprocket 55.-which. is drivenv by. the chain. 34, is. preferably affixed tor the camshaft, -2 through. the agency of. a slidable clutch member L63, 'Iihe clutch member is operated by a forked; bell. crank I64, pivoted. on the machine-and. cons nectcd by a. link I651 to. the. armature; It? of, a, solenoid 1.61.. A rod. and. spring, arrangement. 568, or its equivalent, is employed, tourgev the: bell. crank, to av position, in which, the clutch is open. when. the. solenoid. is de-energized. Thus, the. cnergization. of the. solenoid, is required. for. the, operation, of the cam shaft, and. all of the. various. machine operations. which it. controls.

The, solenoid, is energized. by current from.- power leads I6,9', andjwill be controlledby. a. startingswitch (not shown); but,.I also locate. inthecircu of," the solenoid. Ifil' safety devices of; various kinds which will operate to break. the. solenoid. circuit upon the occurrence. of. unfavorable conditions of machine operations. One: of. these safety devices may be a thermostatic switch HE) which, in thermal contact with, the container, will prevent the operation of the shaft unless the sealing material is at a proper temperature for use.

p Ill will be clear, if a lined carton fails for some reason to be, placed in one of'the cages ll of the machine; the discharge of sealing material" from. the nozzle should be prevented; I" have shown a way-of -accomplishing this by locating a mercury switch- I1 I or its equivalent'in the circuit of" thesolenoid'; causing it to be actuatedbymeehanism; best seen inFigure-23'. Here the mercury switch" I II'I is carried by a lever- I12 aiiixed to shaft I13. The-shaft is journaledinany-suitable bracket means I14 and carries a pair of' arms I15 and? Il'6 -to-which-are attached a light red i-lli'. lti will be noted fromF-igure 23 that the rod i i?" isilocated in such a position with-respect to thecarton cages I"I',"as these travel past in the direction-of the arrow, that-the carton 42 in the-cage will; raise the rod I11 tothe position shown in dotted lines. 'Ihisresults-in a lowering ofthemercury switch III. to the position-also-shoum in dottedilines, and a consequent: closing of the cir unit through the switch. If; however, there is: no: carton. in the cage, the. I'Odi I'll; will; assume the ,positionzshownin solid. lines. It. willtbe; urged:

to this position by a spring I18 engaginganiarm 151 .011; the shaft I5 3... The mercury; switch. ifli wi beraisedandthacircuit, therefore, broken. Thee arrangement. ofi parts: such thahtn 1%) ITIE and its supporting arms will not interfere with the other mechanism. in any position; and a stop. I805 is used to define the lowermost positionof the rod I'I'I.

After the molten sealing material has been introduced into: the open liner mouth in the way and by themechanism aforesaid, I provide means for manipulating Walls of the liner mouth so as to spread the sealing medium and insure an hermetic seal.. 'Ihese means are in the nature of rollers engaging. the. outer surfaces of the walls of the liner mouths; Since points of weakness in sealing may occur at the extreme ends of the: flattened liners; T; find it preferable to roll' the:

1 linerwalls progressively from the mid liner sectionto the ends thereof. There are several ways in which this may be accomplished. Reference is nowmaeto-Figures l, Zand 2a. In a bracket 2.8L: on. the machine. bridge, Hi, I journal shafts 582-. and I83. At their lower ends, theseshafts carry rollers, one of which is indicated at [84; in Figure 2a. Intermediate their ends these shafts carry gears, one. of which. is, indicated: in the same figure at 1.85. At their-upper ends, the:- shaftscarry bevel gears- Iiifi and. I81. These gears? mesh: with bevel! gears I88:and I89. ona shaft. L99: journald in. brackets at. l-BI. and. I82. A- bevel. gear. Itfiuneshes with. another I94, on a horizontal. shaft L95, which. in. turn. is. connected by bevel. gearing to, a verticaL shaft l9.6.. Bevel gears. I91 and E53 connect the vertical. shaft tothe. maindrive shaft23 of thema-chine.

The companion pressing rollers lee andillfl. are. mounted. on shafts. Zlll andZtZ, which. are journaledin bell. cranks 20.3 and- 2th; The upper ends of the shafts carry spur gears 2G5 and 266 which are capable of meshingwith thespur gears. I on the shafts I82 and I83. Springsifil and 208 urge the. bell cranks into such position that the press.- ing rollers will be brought together; and regulation of the springs will permit. regulation. of the: pressing force. The bell cranks. 203 and 284 are interconnected by a linkage 2 39: I have shown a cable 2H! attached to. the linkage which, passing over a sheave 2'I'I, extends downwardly and is attached to a slotted bar'2 I 2 slidably mounted on the shaft 23. The bar has a cam follower 2I-3' which engages a cam 2M on the shaft. A spring" 24 5 keeps the cam follower in contact with the cam. It will be evident a pull upon the cable will result in moving the pressing rollers I84, I99",

etc; apart, while release of the cable will permit When the liner mouths have been flattened, clamped'by the rods 45; 46; and .1, opened up by the vacuum devices, and injected with sealingsubstance, the pressing and distributing action occurs which-will be best appreciated in Figure 11'. The liner 43 comes into the position shown in solid lines at the right, while the pressing rollers-23h and 2380, lie apart. Then these rollers,

through the action of the mechanism herei'n above described, come'togetl'ier at about the midsection of the liner end; They are driven, and tlie linedicarton 'is alsobeing movedby the cage-in the direction. of" the solid. arrow in thisfigure'.

The result is a rolling and distribution of the still softened sealing material from the mid-section of the liner mouth toward the trailing end there of. Next the gear 24 on the cage base 53 engages the rack E on the frame and the entire cage, with the carton and liner, is rotated through 180 on a vertical pivot, as will be clear from the showings in dotted lines in Figure 11. The former trailing edge is now the leading edge, and is about t'o-pass between the separated rolls I84 and 5% of the second set. These rollers will come together at about the mid-section of the liner mouth and complete the rolling and distribution of the sealing substance by rolling the unrolled portion of the liner end. During or immediately following the rolling'operation, the sealing substance Will have set; the seal is now effected, and the liner end may be folded and the carton may be closed by methods and mechanism hitherto known in the art and set forth in paten s referred to above.

Other ways of pressing and distributing the sealing substance may be employed. In the showing of Figure 21, a pair of pressing rollers M3 and ZIS are first brought together as shown near the mid-section of the liner end. Then the shafts upon which these rollers are mounted are first moved forwardly in the direction of the solid arrows at a speed faster than the speed of travel of the liner. This will result in rolling the liner from its mid-section to its forward end. Thereupon, the movement of the roller shafts in a forward direction is halted, the rotation, of the shafts reversed, and the liner will be rolled in one operation from the leading end to the trailing end.

In Figure 22, I have shown a mechanism A pairwhich the liners travel along a bar 229. of pressing rollers 22! and 222, located on the other side of the liners, is mounted on levers 223 and 224. At their opposite ends, these levers are pivoted together at 225 by means of a pin which travels in a longitudinal slot 226 in a plate 227. The plate is fastened to a chain 228 which moves the mechanism along with the liners. Intermediate the length of the levers, they are provided with pins 229 and 236, which ride in arcuate slots 23! and 232 in the plate 221. A roller or cam follower 233 on the pin Z25 engages a cam bar 234. The action of this bar is to move the roller 233 toward the liners, resulting in a spreading of the levers 223 and 224 so that the rollers HI and 222 roll the liners from their mid-sections toward their ends as will be clear from the dotted line showing in Figure 22.

In Figure 19, I have shown in flattened form the end of a liner 43 which has been formed'by tubing a strip of suitable material so that its ends 430. and 43b are lapped and are joined by a strip of suitable adhesive 235. In commercial tubing operations it is not always feasible to apply the adhesive in such a fashion that it comes out to the very edge of the portion 43a. As a consequence, there may be along the seam a more or less continuous area where the sheet portions are lapped without the interposition of adhesive. This is shown in a somewhat exaggerated fashion at-236 in Figure 19. In spite of the distribution of the sealing substance by rolling as aforesaid, it is not always certain that the sealing substance will flow between lapped but unjoined portions of the liner. If not, it will be evident that a channel will remain at 236 leading from the outer atmosphere throug th SQ l '69 the interior of the liner. I prefer, therefore, to provide a means for positively introducing sealing substance into the aforesaid channel.

These means are detailed in Figure 20. Here the mouth of the liner 6.3 is being opened by the vacuum means 48 and i9 preparatory to the introduction of the nozzle 50. It will be remembered that the walls of the liner mouth are held together below the opened portion by the rod members 45, 46, and 47, or other clamping means. In a boss 231 on the mounting plate 67, I slidably mount a rod 238'which bears a perforating point 239 at one end. The other end of the rod carries a head 2%; and the rod is urged outwardly b a spring 2M. A cam bar 242 operates to move the rod inwardly because of the adjacent support furnished by the vacuum member :38, the point 239 is able to perforatethe wall of the liner as shown; but it simply pushes inwardly the unattached portion 43a because this portion is unsupported. As the nozzle enters the liner and starts On that movement which is illustrated in Figure 9, it will engage behind the displaced portion 43a and move it to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 20. The result will be a depositing of the molten sealing substance both beneath and above the unattached portion m, as will be clear, and a dependable seal will result. The point 239 will, of course, be withdrawn after the nozzle has engaged behind the portion 43a.

When the injected sealing substance is at the time of initial displacement thinly fluid, it is advantageous to apply rolling pressure toward the free flap 43a. This has an effect in squeezing the sealing substance into the space between this fiap and the outer wall of the liner. It may be accomplished in a rolling system such as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 2a by so making the bag or liner that the longitudinal seam lies well to one side of the mid-section of the bag or liner with the free flap lta directed toward the midsection.

I have spoken hereinabove of molten sealing substance. I prefer to use a heat softenable substance because it congeals by cooling and does not involve the elimination of a solvent. I am not, however, so limited, and may use any of the solvent softened adhesives. A promising class of adhesives or sealing substances is that of the latices or water dispersions of rubbery or resinous materials or both. Here a high degree of fluidity can be obtained with a very high content of solvents. Also the pressure applied by the manipulating rollers will in many instances press the water vehicle out of the mass to the extent of bringing about a sufiicient initial adhesion or setting up, prior to actual volatilization of the vehicle. When using an of the available sealing adhesives I am not limited to any particular ccnsistencies at the time of injection. The material may be plastic but not freely fiowable as injected or it may be heated or otherwise softened to a highly fluid condition, the latter'being preferred in many instances, especially where there is a problem of closing an unadher'ed inner portion of a, longitudinal scam in the liner. Nor is my invention limited as to the substance of the sealing adhesive, this being selectable in the light of the particular qualities of proofness desired in the closure. v

Modifications'may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in an exemplary emasie ioa bodiment; what I claim: as new and desire to: secure by hetters Patent is:

the method of" closing and sealing a flexible tubular structure which. comprises juxtaposing Wall: portions. thereof and: holding said: portions together along a line spaced" fromt-he end ot'said structure, opening up the wall portions: beyond saidt line of holding, injecting a softened sea-ling substance between the walls, and: distributing the said substance by: rolling. the walls: together, thesaid'rolling being done from the mid -section of said walls toward outlying end'i'portions.

2; A process of closing and sealing tubular structureswhi-oh comprises juxtaposing wall p ortions:ofisaidstructures, injecting a sealing substance 'between the juxtaposed Walls, then: rolling. the-walls. together to distribute said substance the rolling being effective in direction from the mid-section of the juxtaposed walls toward and beyond outlying portions thereof.

3, The process of closing. and sealing tubular structureswhich comprises juxtaposing the walls thereof and holding the-saidwalls together along a line spaced from the end of the structures, opening up the Wall's-beyond the line of holding, in-

jecting sealing substance between said walls; roll ingthe outer-surfaces of said walls at the midsection:thereotand rollingsaid walls in one direc ti'on, thereafter reversingthe structure bringingrolletogetheragainst the outer surfaces of saidwall'sat the mid section and rolling said walls in: they opposite direction.

4 A process of closing and sealing atubular structure which comprises moving the structure in a path; flattening the walls thereof to juxtapose them: in a fin extending in thedirection of" said movement, holding said walls together'al'ong a linespaced from the end of said tubular structure, opening up said walls beyond the line of holding; injecting sealing substance therein; and during a continuation of said movement bringing pressing rolls against said walls at their midsection and rolling said walls. inal direction contrary to their'direction of movement, thereafter turnin saith structure so: as to l reverse the effective direction of movement, bringing rolls against said wallsat themid-sectiomand rolling the remainder of the walls, so as to distribute the sealing substance.

5-. A: process of closing and sealing a tubular structure which comprises moving: the structure in a. path, flattening the walls thereof to juxtapose them in a fin extending in the direction of said movement; holding'said Wall's. together along a line spacedfromthe end'of said;tubular structure; opening up said walls beyond the line of holding, injecting sealing substance therein, and during a continuation of said movement bringing pressing rolls against said walls at their mid-section and rolling said walls in a direction contrary to their direction of movement, thereafter turning said structure so as to reverse the effective direction of movement, bringing rolls against said walls at the mid-section and rolling the remainder of the walls, so as to distribute the sealing substance, and forming a bead in the distributed sealing substance by the use of grooved rolls.

6. A process of closing and sealing a tubular structure which comprises moving the structure in a path, flattening the walls thereof to juxtapose them in a fin extending in, the direction of said movement, holding said walls together along a line spaced from the end of said tubular struc ture, opening up said walls beyond the line of holding, injecting sealing substance therein, and

'14 rolling the flattened walls of said. tubular struc--' ture so as to distribute the: sealing substance therein by bringing rolls against the mid-section of said flattened walls and efiecti'vely causing said rolls to roll the flattened walls in directions: away from said mid-section.

7'. A process of closing and sealing a tubular structure which comprises moving the structure in: a path, flattening the wallsthereof to juxtapose them in a fin extending. in the direction of said movement, holding said walls together alonga line spaced from the end of said tubular structure, opening up said walls beyond the line of holding, injecting sealing substance therein, and during a continuation of said movement bringing a pair of'rollstogether against the outer" surfaces of said walls, moving said rolls ahead faster than the movement of the tubular structure so as to roll the juxtaposed walls in a forward direction from the mid-section, and thereafter passing the juxtaposed Walls entirely through the rolls soas to roll them in an opposite direction from the mid-section.

8. A process of closing and sealing a tubular structure having a lapped, adhesively secured longitudinal seam, therebeing'a free flap of unsecured material Within the tube, said process comprising the steps of juxtaposing the Walls of said structure, holding the walls together along a line space-dfrom the endof'the structure, opening up said walls beyond said line and injecting a sealing substance between the opened walls by means of a nozzle having movement relative to said walls, and-displacing said flap inwardly from the wall atwhich it is attached so as to permit said nozzle to deposit sealing substance behind said flap.

9. A process of closing and sealing a tubular structure having a lapped, adhesively secured longitudinal seam, there-being free flap of unsecured material within the tube,, said process comprising the steps of juxtaposing the walls of said structure, holding the walls" together along a line spacedfrom'the end of thestructure, opening up said walls beyond said line and injecting a sealing substance between the opened Walls by means of a nozzle having movement relative to said walls, and displacing'said flap inwardly from the wallet which it is attached so as to permit said nozzle to deposit sealing substance behind saidfiap; said displacement serving to bring said flap into the path. of movement of said nozzle and causing said nozzle further to displace said fiapduring its. movement and afterward to release said flap.

10. A prooess'of closing and sealing a tubular flexible structure which comprises flattening and juxtaposing walls of said structure to form a fin, holding said walls together along a line spaced from the end of the structure, opening up said Walls beyond said line, injecting sealing material between said walls, and thereafter distributing said sealing material by rolling pressure applied to external surfaces of said Walls, said pressure being applied from the mid-section of said fin toward and to the ends of said fin so as to force the sealing material into the ends of said fin.

11. In a machine of the character described, means for holding and moving a tubular flexible structure in a path, means for flattening the Walls of said structure, means for holding said walls together along a line spaced from the end of said structure, means moving with the structure for opening up the walls beyond said line, a nozzle pivoted in a fixed position, means for moving'said nozzle about its pivot so as'to turn it into the space between the opened walls and cause it to move so as to distribute a sealing substance all along said line of holding and thereafter to turn said nozzle out of the way, and coordinated means for controlling a flow of sealing substance through said nozzle in accordance with its movements, a pair of rolls, means for moving said rolls to bring them into contact with the flattened walls at their mid-section, means for causing said rolls to roll the flattened walls toward the rear, means for reversing the position of said flattened walls, a second pair of rolls, means for bringing the second pair of rolls against the mid-section of the flattened walls and means for causing said rolls to roll said walls rearwardly whereby to roll the previously unrolled portions thereof.

12. In a machine of the character described for closing and sealing flexible tubular structures,

means for moving a flexible structurewith the ends of its walls juxtaposed and sealing material positioned therebetween, spaced pairs of rolls, means for driving said rolls, means coordinating with the movements of the said tubular structures to bring said rolls together against the midsection of the walls thereof and means intermediate the pairs of rolls for reversing the positions of the tubular structures.

13. In a machine of the character described for closing and sealing flexible tubular structures, a container for-sealing substance, a hollow nozzle pivoted to said container, a pump within said container and connected to said nozzle, means for operating said pump, means for operating said nozzle by swinging it about its pivot, means for moving tubular structures in ,a path beneath said nozzle, and means for coordinating the operating means for said pump and for said nozzle with the movements of said tubular structures.

14. In a machine of the character described, a container for heating sealing substance, a hollow nozzle pivoted on said container, a pump within said container in communication with a hollow nozzle, means for operating said pump to eject material from the container through the hollow nozzle and means for swinging said hollow nozzle on its pivot.

15. In a machine of the character described, a

container for heating sealing substance, a hollow nozzle pivoted on said container, a pump within said container in communication with the hollow nozzle, means for operating said pump to eject material from the container through the hollow nozzle and means for swinging said hollow nozzle on its pivot, valve means for said nozzle comprising a needle valve rod passing therethrough,

16 operating means for said r'od mounted'on said nozzle and having an end located for actuation along the axis of the pivot of said nozzle, and relief valve means in connection with said pump.

16. In a machine of the character described, means for opening up beyond a line of pressure the juxtaposed walls of a moving flexible tubular structure, said means comprising a frame, means slidably mounting the frame for travel with a tubular structure, means for causing the frame to travel with said tubular structure, movable mounting means on said frame, vacuum elements on said mounting means andmeans effective despite the movement of said frame for. bringing said vacuum elements together against the juxtaposed walls of a tubular structure and then moving them apart whereby to separate said walls, said tubular structures having lapped adhesively secured longitudinal seams characterized by a free internal flap, one of said mounting means carrying a movable perforating means adjacent its vacuum element, and means for moving said perforating means to cause it to puncture one of said walls and engage the said flap, displacing it so that an injecting sealing material can get behind it.

17. In a machine of the character described, means for holding and moving tubular flexible structures, means moving with said structures for juxtaposing the walls thereof at an end, means engaging said Walls along a line spaced from said end to hold them together, means moving with the structures for opening up the walls beyond said line of holding, a pivot nozzle for injecting a sealing substance between the opened walls, a spaced pair of rolls, means for bringing said rolls together, means for driving said rolls, means for reversing the position of said tubular structure located intermediate said rolls, and means for coordinating the movements of said several instrumentalities.

' SAMUEL BERGSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATE'N TS 

